Slicing machine with vertically reciprocating cutter



R. E. LEAVENS July 10, 195] SLICING MACHINE WITH VERTICALLY RECIPROCATING CUTTER Filed May 4, 1949 game/Mom aim m4 Arron/5V.

" Patented July 10, 1951 S PATENT OFFICE SLICING MACHINE WITH VERTICALLY RECIPROCATING CUTTER l tobert E. Leavens, Houston, Tex.

Application May 4', 1949, Serial No. 91,357

1 Claim.

1 r This invention relates to a slicing machine. An object ofthe invention is to provide a machine of the character described especially designed for slicing citrus ,fruitasuch as lemons, into complementary segments. It is another object of the invention to provide a novel type of blade assembly, including a pilot blade and supplemental blades on opposite sides of the pilot blade, the point of the pilot blade extending beneath the corresponding points of the supplemental blades so as to engage the fruit and hold it centered on the seat during the slicing operation.

The invention also includes a, novel type of seat for supporting the fruit.

While the machine has been primarily designed for slicing citrus fruits, it may also be used for other similar purposes.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following specification which is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side View of the machine positioned at the beginning of the slicing operation. Figure 2 is an end view partly broken away; and

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

In the drawings the numeral I designates a base which, in the present illustration, is formed of sheet material in rectangular form with its ends downwardly turned forming the supporting legs 2, 2, and between these legs there is a reenforcing bar 3.

Upstanding from the ends of the base there are the guide rods 4, 4 whose lower ends are reduced forming shoulders which rest on the base I and whose reduced ends extend through the base I and the bar 3 and are threaded to receive the clamp nuts 5, 5 whereby the rods 4, 4 are securely anchored in place.

On the base, between the rods 4, 4, there are 'the upstanding pins 6 which are securely anchored to the base and which are arranged in a circular row with their upper ends outwardly turned, thus forming a seat to receive the fruit to be sliced. These pins are spaced apart for a purpose to be hereinafter stated.

Slidably mounted on the upstanding rods 4 there are the sleeves l, 1 whose upper ends are secured together by means of a transverse yoke 8. The upper ends of the sleeves extend through said yoke and are secured thereto, preferably by threads.

Depending from the yoke, preferably midway between its ends and centered with respect to the said seat, there is a blade shank 9 which extends through said yoke'and whose upper end has an enlarged head In that rests on the yoke. This shank is secured to the yoke in any preferred manner, as by a cross-pin ll extending through them.

On the lower end of, the shank 9 there is a blade assembly. This assembly includes a pilot blade I2 whose side margins converge downwardly to a point, as shown in [Figure 1. The upper margin of the pilot blade extends into a transverse slot in the lower end of the shank.

On each side of the pilot blade there are the supplemental blades as i3, three supplemental blades being shown on each side of the pilot blade. These supplemental blades are fitted, at their upper ends, into slots in the lower end of the shank provided to receive them, and the blades when assembled with the shank are then welded thereto.

The outer margins of the supplemental blades also converge downwardly to a point which is spaced the required distance above the point of the pilot blade. These downwardly converging margins of :all theblades are formed into sharp cutting edges, and these edges are preferably spaced apart a unifonm distance all the way around so that the segments of the sliced fruit will be of the same size.

The metal of the blades is of sufficient rigidity to maintain their free margins and points in fixed relation to each other by means of their anchorage, above described, to the lower end of the shank.

In use, the yoke and blade assembly may be manually elevated, and the fruit to be sliced then placed on said seat and the yoke and blade assembly then manually forced downwardly. The point of the pilot blade will engage the fruit at the center and will thereafter hold said fruit centered when the supplemental blades come in contact with the fruit so that the fruit will be divided into equal parts, and it is to be noted that the blades are spaced between the pins 6 so that their margins will not come into contact with said pins.

Mounted on the base around the guide rods are yieldable bumpers which, in the present instance, are shown as coiled springs l4, I4, with which the lower end of the sleeves comes into contact to prevent the points of the blades from coming into contact with said base and to act s shock absorbers.

It is to be noted that the seat for supporting the fruit may be of any selected shape so as to conform to the contour of the fruit to be sliced.

Usually the outwardly turned upper ends of the pins 6 diverge, and these pin have sufiicient strength to prevent any substantial spreading of them.

The drawings and description disclose what is now considered to be a preferred form of the invention by way of illustration only, while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A slicing machine comprising, a base, spaced upstanding guide rods anchored to the base, a seat supported by, and spaced above, the base between the guide rods, said seat being formed of upstanding spaced pins whose upper ends diverge upwardly, sleeves slid-able on the guide rods, 7

a yoke whose ends are secured to the sleeves, a blade shank depending from the yoke and secured thereto in axial alignment with the center of said seat, the lower end of the shank being provided with slots, an assembly of flat cutter blades including a pilot blade whose outer margins converge downwardly and a series of supplemental blades on each side of the pilot blade the margins of said supplemental blades converging to a point which is spaced above the point of the pilot blade, the converging edges of said point mediate said seat and said base.

' ROBERT E. LEAVENS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 951,241 Hampel' Mar. 8, 1910 1,284,132 Nikolow NOV. 5, 1918 1,610,236 Ayar Dec. 14, 1926 1,943,113 Dalim Jan. 9,1934 2,297,177 Tiffany Sept. 29, 1942 2,329,918 Leavens Sept. 21, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 26,422 Great Britain Dec. 5, 1904 

